Sacramento Municipal Utility District

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) provides electricity to the Sacramento area. It is one of the ten largest publicly owned utility companies in the United States. SMUD generates approximately 40% or more of its power from natural gas. If the SNGS’ gas storage facility is built then SMUD has committed to leasing 4 billion cubic feet of storage space in the facility. The Sacramento News Review writes:

“SMUD’s public position has been passive support of the project. About a year ago (2008), the SMUD board of directors voted unanimously to commit SMUD to be the facility’s No. 1 customer—if and only if it passes muster with the CPUC and the city. “If it’s safe, it would be irresponsible for us not to exercise our option,” said new SMUD board member Nancy Bui. She believes that SMUD needs additional storage capacity, but was concerned with what she saw in the environmental impact report.”